"When the hurricane happened, we saw the devastation immediately," said Matt Hansen, Mitchell's father. "But when all the cellphones and all the communications left, we couldn't even talk to people across town."

Their flights were canceled; their hotel sustained storm damage, including flooding and broken windows.

Plano Family Reunited After Hurricane Odile

The Hansen family was reunited at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Thursday after Hurricane Odile left father and son stranded. (Published Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014)

Some estimate that thousands of American tourists were left stranded by the storm.

The Hansens and fellow teammates made the trek to a Mexican military area, where some were able to secure a military transport plane to Tijuana, Mexico. From there, they were bused across the U.S.- Mexico border, eventually making their way to the airport in Los Angeles.